Outlet box unit



Aug. 26, 1947. J. F. OBRIEN El AL 2,426,235

OUTLET BOX UNIT Filed Oct. 27, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 4 A' NEY Patented Aug. 26, 194-? OUTLET BOX UNIT Joseph F. OBrien, Lebanon, and Earl S. Boynton, East Orange, N. J assignors to John B. Pierce Foundation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 27, 1944, Serial No. 550,670-

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to serially-connected electric wiring systems, and more partic-' ularly to an outlet box unit adapted to be connected into the system in the usual manner as are the standard conductor units of said system.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an outlet box unit for the reception of plugs connected to devices requiring and drawing relatively large current, such as electric irons, electric toasters, electric stoves, etc.

More especially it is an object of this invention to provide an outlet box unit adapted to receive a standard two-prong phone plug used in the place of the usual type of plugs provided with such devices. These phone-type plugs subserve the purpose of carrying the relatively large current better than the heretofore customarily used type of plug attached to such instruments, and this is due to the thickness of the prongs of such phone plugs which sup-ply the necessary large surface area for the transmission of such current. Furthermore, such phone-type plugs are much more sturdy than the usual electrical device plug, but these factors make it incumbent to provide an outlet box which is not only capable of meeting the requirements of the current carrying capacity of the electrical device, but also of accommodating the prongs of such plug.

More especially, the parts of th outlet box are required to be very sturdy, the receiving terminals generous in size, yet tight-fitting, and the base and socket designed to Withstand the pullout of the plug without fracturing or displacing any of the parts.

Other features, objects and details of the present invention will appear as the description of an exemplification thereof proceeds.

In the accompanying sheets of drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective View of the uncovered outlet box unit of our invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of said unit;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the housing cap;

Fig. 4 is a top View of the socket member;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of said member, and

Fig. 6 is a top view of the closure base plate,

Referring to said drawings it will be seen that the outlet box unit comprises a base plate Ill of insulating material provided with a series of longitudinal grooves H, H, for the accommodation of the conductors l2, l2. Said conductors are riveted to a rigid insulating strip 13 forming a part of the socket member IA, which latter also comprises a pair of spaced parallel metal plates l5, 15, to each of which is riveted a metal strap l6, l6, formed cylindrically [1, ll, intermediate 2 its ends and split down the middle I8; [8. One of said plates is connected to one of the conductors by means of a rivet l9 passing through a bottom flange 29 of said plate and through the insulating strip, while the other plate is similarly riveted 28a to another of the conductors. If the system is a three-Wire one, the third conductor may be riveted to the insulating strip. Thus the straps with the split cylindrical formations and plates ar conductively connected to a pair of the conductors. The tops of said plates are bent over to provide flanges 2!, 2|, to which is riveted an insulating piece '22 having a raised circular portion 23 through which holes 24, 24, extend in alinement with the cylindrical formations of the aforesaid straps. The bottom of the socket member including the conductors seat naturally into the top of the base plate, and over said socket member and embracing the sides thereof is a housing cap 25 of insulating material having an opening 26 in the top thereof for accommodating the raised circular portion 23 of insulating piece 22. The ends of said housing cap are provided with the usual male and female terminations as are the conductors l2, l2. The parts are secured in place by passing screws through alined holes 26a21 in the base plate and a boss 28 of the cap (Fig. 6) respectively; additionally, by passing screws through alined holes 2930 in the base plate and a boss 3| of the cap; and further by passing screws through alined holes 32-33 in the base plate and male termination of said cap.

Having described our invention, what we claim is:

1. An electrical unit comprising mutually spaced insulating members, one of said insulating members being provided with mutually parallel grooves, a pair of opposed mutually spaced metal plates connected to and separating said insulating members, said mutually spaced metal plates extending normal to said insulating members, a terminal receiving member conductivel connected to each of said plates, said receiving member being in the form of a strap having an intermediate cylindrical portion adapted to receive the terminal of a plug, parallel conductors disposed in said grooves and conductively connected to said metal plates through one of said insulating members, the other of said insulating members having holes therein alined with said cylindrical portions, a base connected to one of said insulating members, and a cover of insulating material enclosing said metal plates and their respective receiving members.

2. An electrical unit comprising an insulating strip, parallel conductors disposed beneath one face thereof, a base of insulating material disposed below said insulating strip and enclosing said parallel conductors, opposed spaced metal plates respectively mounted endwise on the upper face of said strip, rivets passing through said strip and said base and conductively connecting said metal plates and said conductors, terminal receiving members conductively connected to said metal plates, said receiving members being in the form of straps having each an intermediate cylindrical portion, an insulating piece secured to the opposite ends of said metal plates, said piece having holes therein in alinement with said cylindrical portions, and a cover of insulating material enclosing said metal plates and their respective terminal receiving members.

3. An electrical unit comprising an insulating strip, parallel conductors disposed beneath one face thereof, a base of insulating material disposed below said insulating strip and enclosing said parallel conductors, opposed mutually spaced metal plates respectively mounted endwise on the upper face of said strip, said metal plates having flanges lying flush with said strip, rivets passing through said flanges, said strip and said base and certain of said conductors to selectively conductively connect said metal plates with said conductors, terminal receiving members conductively connected to said metal plates, said receiving members being in the form of straps having each an intermediate split cylindrical portion, an insulating piece secured to the othe ends of said metal plates, said piece having holes therein in alinement with said cylindrical portions, and a cover of insulating material enclosing said metal plates and their respective terminal receiving members.

JOSEPH F. OBRIEN.

EARL S. BOYN'ION.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,211,726 Knutson Aug. 13, 1940 2,215,712 Peck Sept. 24, 1940 2,351,632 OBrien June 20, 1944 

